


Twenty Years Gone

by fivedragonsstudios



Category: Klaus (2019)
Genre: AU, Jesper is a bit older here, Jesper is grumpy, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:28:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27249562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fivedragonsstudios/pseuds/fivedragonsstudios
Summary: Klaus left the island when Lydia got sick so that she could get the best care. Twenty years have past and he is now returning to Smeerensburg to find some things have changed.
Relationships: Alva/Jesper Johanssen (past), Jesper Johanssen/Klaus
Comments: 8
Kudos: 68
Collections: Klaus fic collection





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a test fic. Depending on how it's received I might rewrite it so it isn't as rushed and make a whole thing of it.

Klaus looked at the ferryman and then to the boat nearby. It had been a long time since he had been to Smeerensburg, and the boat was the same. The ferryman was not. He shifted his weight and looked back at the man relaxed in his chair.

"Uh...hello?" The man sitting moved a hand and gave him directions back to the dead tree back a ways. Klaus frowned "I'm not lost...I actually am returning home after a long trip away." The ferryman lifted his hat and peered at him with sleepy confusion and Klaus blinked. "Mogens?" 

Mogens straightened and looked him over before recognition shined in his eyes "Klaus! Well I'm a monkey's uncle, didn't think we'd see you come back." Mogens got up and came closer, leaning on the door where his feet had been moments before. "How's Lydia?" 

Klaus lowered his gaze "She...passed." Mogens frowned "Sorry to hear that, but hey, your place is still standing. Er...oh that's right you sold it." Mogens rubbed the back of his neck "Hm, the post office is empty, but a bit drafty. Shouldn't be a problem for you right?" 

Klaus sighed, he had actually forgotten about selling his old place. Maybe he could buy it back? Who even lived there now?? "The post office is fine" for now at least. Fixing it should keep his hands busy while he figured out how to get the cabin back to boot. 

Mogens smirked and moved outside, walking towards the boat at an easy pace. "Not much has changed in twenty years. Well, except we got a teacher who sells fish and…" Mogens stopped "Damn, the postman. He's the one who lives up in your cabin now. Kind of ironic huh?" 

Klaus frowned in confusion "If he's the postman, why isn't he in the post office?" Mogens shifted his weight. "Uh… Well, he was sweet on Miss Alva-that's the teacher-and he bought that cabin of yours so they could have a family." 

Klaus nodded then Mogens continued "After he bought it, they did live together for...about two years, but then suddenly broke things off. No one knows why, both of them avoid talking about it." Mogens shrugged "So Miss Alva moved back to the school and Jesper stayed up there." 

Klaus gathered that Jesper was the postman's name. "What about his job?" Mogens laughed "You need to ask? You've lived here before right? No one writes letters. He sells firewood for money, sometimes brings some game down too. Resourceful sort." 

Klaus glanced over the ocean, as if he could see the island from here. Which he couldn't. "What about the toys?" Mogens eyes widened "You left those there? Uh…" the other man also looked towards the water "I have no clue what he might have done with them." 

Which was fine of course, Mogens couldn't know everything. Klaus would have to go up and check when he got the chance to. So with that information on his mind, he got on the boat. Mogens followed, lifting the anchor and then getting the boat going. 

Klaus sat and sighed and watched the icebergs pass. "What kind of person is he?" Mogens glanced back briefly "Huh? Oh...you mean Jesper. Well he was spoiled and a bit naive when he first arrived. Now...not so much." Mogens shook his head "Town got to him after ten years, you know?" 

Klaus did know. The constant fighting had a way of changing a person, even if they weren't involved. Ten years was a long time to stay as well, when you weren't a part of either family. "Why doesn't he leave?" Mogens shrugged "No clue." 

Klaus sighed, figuring it didn't really matter in the long run. It shouldn't be too hard to convince this Jesper to move back to the post office...maybe he could offer to repair it in exchange. Something...anything to get his home back. 

Once they reached the island Klaus headed towards the post office. It...wasn't in good condition. He would definitely need more wood. The best place to get decent wood was straight from the source. Klaus looked towards the path that led to his old cabin then started walking. He may as well get this part over with.

The walk was quiet and cold, and he sighed in relief and even smiled when he saw the buildings he had built oh so long ago. He paused by the workshop where the toys were kept and saw it was chained and locked. "What in the…" why was it locked? As he contemplated this, the click of a gun sounded behind him. 

Klaus slowly turned to face a man who looked very angry. The other man was thin and shorter than Klaus but still tall enough to reach his chest. The other man also had long blonde hair with a few white streaks that was pulled back, a beard covered the other man's chin. 

As for the other man's outfit, it was just common fair for the island. "Who the hell are you?" The man asked and Klaus stepped back nervously. "Klaus...I used to own this place." Jesper frowned deeply and adjusted the aim of the gun "Well, you don't anymore so get off my lawn." 

Well...it seemed it would be harder to get his home back than he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

Klaus shifted his weight and Jesper lowered his gun. The tall man turned to leave and Klaus remembered his original goal. "Wait!" Jesper stopped and looked at him "I need my axe." The other man raised a brow "Your axe" Klaus nodded "I want to chop a tree down, to help repair the post office."

Jesper stood straighter and looked angry again. "Why would you do that?" Klaus felt uneasy again "Because I'll be staying there." Jesper narrowed his eyes "Says who?" Klaus looked past Jesper for a moment to his old cabin then sighed. "Mogens did."

Jesper gave a scoff "That ferryman has no say who does or doesn't stay there." Klaus felt a sinking in his gut "Who does then?" Jesper looked to the side for a moment "My father." Then the man turned and headed towards the cabin.

His father?! "Where can I stay then?" Jesper turned his head a little "Not my problem" which was true enough, but the other man didn't have to be so blunt about it. Jesper paused at the cabin entrance "Your axe is on the chopping stump, take it or don't, either way get the hell away from me and my property."

The blonde man then went inside, closing the door and Klaus even heard it lock. Well. That was something. Klaus made his way to the chopping stump and looked up on habit. He froze again. 

The birdhouses were gone. Jesper had probably taken them down. Klaus frowned sadly, then looked towards the stump and saw his axe leaning against it. It at least was the same, the edge was sharp too. Klaus grunted and had to wonder what kind of person kept an axe left behind in good shape, but then could change other things. 

Shaking his head, he headed into the woods, still determined to fix up the post office even if he couldn't technically stay there. Maybe he could stay with Mogens, he could also afford the Inn for a few days if he really had to. 

Klaus picked out a good tree, noticing some traps laid out. He remembered Mogens saying that Jesper brought game down to town to sell, so the traps were likely for that. He chopped down the tree and then started to drag it towards town, he caught movement and soon spotted Jesper watching him. 

Klaus paused and the other man drew back with a sneer before walking away. What had that been about? Klaus resumed his trip back, the snow making it easier to drag the tree down to the post office. Before he fully left the woods however, he heard a bell ring.

Looking up in confusion, he soon spotted a small bell...and the rope it was tied to, with an unfortunate squirrel at the other end. Klaus blinked and looked up again, then looked towards where the birdhouses had been. It would likely be pretty hard to hear the bell over the birds that had gathered.

“Hm” he guessed that part was for practical reasons. Then why was the workshop locked up? “Are you still here?” Klaus looked over at the voice to find Jesper again. The other man looked over the squirrel and then got out a knife. Klaus adjusted his grip on the tree and started walking again. 

Jesper wanted him gone, and he wasn't about to watch an animal die. He did hear the squirrel make a sound and he grimaced, easily picturing the poor things fate. Maybe it was best just to get into town, and then figure out his next step.

***

Mogens frowned at him after he explained all this. "Wait so he said you couldn't stay in the post office?" Klaus nodded and Mogens grunted "I figured he wouldn't care, it's been empty since he and Alva moved up there…" 

"How long ago was that?" Mogens rubbed his chin in thought "Six years? Something like that?" Klaus felt astounded "He hasn't done his job for that long? Why didn't they send someone new?" Mogens drank with a shrug "It's still technically his job."

Right. "And your sure the workshop was locked?" The ferryman asked and Klaus nodded. Mogens looked thoughtful then sighed "I honestly have no clue why he would do that." Klaus sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"Now what?" Mogens shrugged again "I mean...you can stay with me if you really want, but I don't technically have the space." Klaus nodded in understanding "I can afford the Inn for now, at least until I can talk to Jesper seriously." 

Mogens gave him a look "Good luck with that." It did seem like he would need it, since Jesper didn't seem that talkative. Exactly the opposite actually. Klaus was just happy that he could fix up the post office still, since Jesper hadn't shot that down completely.

"Thanks Mogens, I'll see you around" Mogens nodded and drank even more. This had been one hell of a first day back home. He reached the Inn, and paid for the week before laying in the too small bed and getting what rest that he could.


	3. Chapter 3

Klaus actually saw Jesper again the next day. The other man had crossed paths with Klaus as he made his way to the post office. Jesper didn’t even acknowledge his presence until the thin man was heading back towards the cabin. “You’re actually fixing it?” Klaus nodded and saw that Jesper had a new ax now. Oh...he had kind of just taken his old one, hadn’t he?

Jesper scoffed “It’s pretty pointless don’t you think? The fighting will just ruin it again.” Klaus shrugged “It gives me something to do…” Jesper narrowed his eyes, then looked over the decrepit building. The other man sighed and then shrugged “It’s your time to waste.” Then the other man walked away. Klaus took that to mean that Jesper truly didn’t care if the building was fixed.

Klaus sighed and realized he had forgotten to ask about buying his cabin back. He wasn’t even sure when he would see Jesper again either. Looking down the path, he found he couldn’t even see the other man anymore. Must be a fast walker. Shaking his head, Klaus focused on his task, which for now involved turning the tree he had chopped down into workable pieces.

After that part was done, he could start patching up the worst of the holes in the building. It wasn’t fast work, but it definitely gave him something to do. 

***

Jesper was back in town the next day. He pulled a sled loaded with bundles of chopped wood and rolled up pelts. There were also packages that Klaus guessed was animal meat. Klaus followed the thin man into a different part of town, and watched as he set up at one of the spare tables. Jesper noticed him and scowled “If you’re not going to buy anything, then sod off.” 

Klaus frowned and looked over what Jesper had laid out. Many different kinds of fur, and not only from animals that could be caught in snares. The packages were clearly marked with the kind of meat held inside. Klaus had to look over it all again as he realized something. “There’s no squirrel” he looked at Jesper who was now seated and had crossed his arms.

The other man raised a brow “Do you want squirrel?” Klaus slowly shook his head and Jesper started to look annoyed again before Klaus spoke again. “Did you set that one free then?” Jesper’s face went through a range of expressions before settling on what seemed to be his default: grumpy. 

“Well, not many people like the taste of squirrel, and the hide doesn’t sell enough to bother.” Which was essentially a ‘yes’ to Klaus’ question. Maybe Jesper wasn’t as bad as he acted. Klaus felt encouraged by the thought, and decided now was as good a time as any to talk with the man.

“I actually have been meaning to talk to you” he started and Jesper just raised a brow again. “I would like to buy my cabin back. I have enough to pay a decent price.” Jesper stared at him for a long moment, then lowered his gaze with a thoughtful look appearing. Klaus patiently let the other man think the offer over. 

“No” Jesper looked up after saying the singular word then motioned with his hand to shoo Klaus away. Klaus frowned “I’m willing to fix up the post office the rest of the way for free...it would be livable.” Jesper looked like he was considering it, tapping one of his long fingers against his arm. Klaus decided something else right then and there. 

“I won’t stop you from hunting up there either. It’s a big forest, I’m sure we can share.” Jesper met his gaze, the grumpy look smoothing out. The other man actually looked pretty approachable with the change. “I keep the workshop” the thin man said and Klaus blinked in surprise. 

For a moment, he hesitated. He would need the workshop to...well, do his work in. “I need stuff from there” he said, and Jesper’s expression started to go towards anger again. “Just tools...maybe one of the tables? I have to be able to do my job…” Jesper looked thoughtful again, and Klaus could tell the man was leaning towards possibly agreeing. 

Jesper had no use for the workshop after all...as far as Klaus knew anyway, so it was odd that he wanted to keep it at all. Klaus figured asking for only what he needed was an acceptable compromise. Jesper looked down at his table and gave a large sigh “Fine, but I can’t guarantee that the tools are in good shape.” Jesper glanced up quickly “I only needed the ax on a regular basis, and one of the knives to prepare meat and hides.”

Which meant the rest had sat around without any care for twenty years. Klaus frowned, and Jesper continued to avoid his gaze. The only tool he needed that might have rusted was the large hand saw. The very tool he needed so he could make proper boards. “I guess I’ll have to make do” Jesper raised his head and looked surprised for a moment before the expression vanished.

“Right, well, you can come up tomorrow for what you need.” Klaus was about to ask why he couldn’t just go now when he remembered the chain and lock. Only Jesper could open the workshop, and Jesper was currently doing the job that made him money. Klaus didn’t really want to disrupt that. Plus there were things he could do without the saw that would take up the day.

It was only as he nodded that he realized he had gotten his cabin back. Sure it hadn’t been said outright, but they _had_ come to an agreement. Klaus wondered if it was worth the trouble to hash out the price right now, or wait. After watching Jesper’s expression go back to the grumpy frown, Klaus decided it could wait. 

Jesper wouldn’t have anywhere to go until the post office was fixed anyway. Klaus sobered at the thought, realizing that may have been the reason the thin man had said no at first. Then he also remembered the room he had put in the workshop, for those days where he worked too long and didn’t want to bother going back to the cabin. 

“You want to stay in the workshop until the post office is done” he said as it fully hit him and Jesper gave him a sharp look. “I have other uses for it” the man said and Klaus felt surprised again. He did? Jesper must have seen his surprise because the man rolled his eyes. “I skin the hides, and prepare the meat in there. Not like I’m going to ruin the kitchen table with that.” Did that mean one of his old work tables had been put to use for the task?

“Don’t give me that look, I bought my own table to work on.” He had? Klaus was starting to truly feel confused about this other man. His actions and attitude seemed to be complete opposites. “Are you going to buy something or not?” Jesper asked, bringing Klaus back to the present. Klaus shook his head again and Jesper made the shoo motion again in answer.

“Then stop standing there” Klaus listened, heading back to the post office to work on what he could for now. Near the end of the day he saw Jesper heading back up the mountain. The sled was almost completely clear of items. There were just a few skins and meat packets, and the other man had sold all of his wood. Jesper turned his head and their gazes met for a moment before the other man huffed and looked ahead again. Klaus finished what he had been doing and then headed to the inn for some rest before he hopefully got some of his tools back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look a chapter  
> Sorry this took so long

Klaus had figured that the earlier he went to get what he needed, the better. He saw some reindeer as he approached the cabin and smiled in pleasant surprise. Normally deer stayed clear of area’s where they were commonly hunted...so Jesper likely left the animals alone. Then again Jesper was just one man and reindeer were rather big.

He knocked on the door and waited a little bit before he moved to knock again. The door was yanked open and an angry looking man was glaring with a scowl before the other man’s gaze went up and the scowl faded. “Oh...it’s only you” Jesper adjusted a robe he had clearly just thrown on and Klaus blinked. 

The man’s hair was down and a bit messy and he looked like… “I just woke you up, didn’t I?” Jesper glanced away and shrugged “I was about to get up, get more done the earlier I start.” The blonde man moved “I’m making some coffee, do you want any?” Klaus sensed this wasn’t an offer that was always given and nodded before he entered his old home.

Jesper hadn’t changed much when it came to the furniture. Only a few things were adjusted to work with the height difference between the two men. It was also...more organized. Not that Klaus and Lydia had been messy, it was more like things looked arranged in a certain way. Jesper closed the door and headed to the kitchen and started preparing the coffee.

As the coffee heated, Jesper went into the bedroom not far away and Klaus sat in one of the chairs that he had carved himself oh so long ago. When Jesper came back, his hair was brushed and pulled back, and he had a proper outfit on. The man gave a yawn as he entered the kitchen again and Klaus was surprised at how _normal_ this felt.

A stranger was in his home, sleeping in his old bed (or so he guessed), and using his old stove. Yet right now Klaus felt comfortable, as if they had lived together for some time. Maybe it was because he was in his old home again...the familiarity calming him and making him relaxed. Jesper busied himself but was quiet, and Klaus was normally not one for conversation, so a silence settled, but not one that was uncomfortable.

Two mugs of coffee were set on the table when they were ready, followed by two plates of food. Klaus looked at the plate in front of him in surprise before looking at Jesper. The other man was already eating, only looking partially awake as he chewed his food. Klaus had already had a rather quick breakfast of scrambled eggs, but still found himself eating the meat that was offered.

It wasn’t anything fancy, but it also didn’t taste bad. Klaus was pretty sure it was rabbit, and since it hadn’t taken long for Jesper to prepare, Klaus could guess that it had been cooked beforehand and stored before being reheated now. Jesper drank some of his coffee, and it was then that Klaus noticed there was no cream or sugar on the table, so the blonde man was drinking it black. 

“You...wouldn’t happen to have milk would you?” Klaus asked, hoping that the question wouldn’t put the somewhat former postman in a bad mood. Blue eyes went to him and Jesper set his mug down before getting up and going to the icebox, soon coming back with some milk. Klaus smiled at him in appreciation and added some to his own cup before finally taking a drink. 

Silence settled again, at least when it came to words, the only sounds were their silverware meeting their plates. At some point Jesper looked off to the side as he drank, and he lowered his mug and Klaus found himself staring. Jesper was smiling. It was almost unnoticeable if not for the fact that it was a very stark difference to the usual grumpy look. 

Klaus wondered what had put such a soft expression on the blonde's face when he heard a bird. Blinking, he realized the sound had come from _inside_ and moved his head until he saw it. A small bird was on the floor, head tilted as if taking in Klaus. It hopped a little, chirping again and it’s tail bobbing. “It’s okay, he’s just big” Jesper said gently, in a tone Klaus would never have thought possible.

Then the thinner man was moving, lowering a hand to the ground. The bird half fluttered to it, and it was then that Klaus realized it only had one full wing. It likely couldn’t fly. The bird made it to the offered hand and Jesper lifted it up to the table where it hopped to his plate and pecked as some of the food left over.

Jesper just shook his head and worked on finishing his coffee. When he noticed Klaus’ attention he frowned and lifted a brow “What?” The biting tone was back, and Klaus glanced at the bird before turning his gaze to the few bites of food he had left. “Nothing” he caught Jesper narrowing his eyes as he finished his food. The other man soon gave a huff and finally finished off his drink.

Klaus would keep the soft moment a secret, though he imagined Mogens might know about Jesper’s softer side. Or that Miss Alva...who he still had not met. In any case, he knew that Jesper would likely not appreciate anyone bringing attention to the fact that he wasn’t as bad as he seemed. The thin man got up and gathered the dishes before cleaning them. Klaus simply waited at the table, and watched the bird that seemed to watch him in return. 

Once Jesper was done with the dishes, he scooped up the bird and took it back to the bedroom before heading to the front door. “You coming or what?” The blonde man asked and Klaus blinked before getting up and heading for the outdoors. It wasn’t far to the workshop and Klaus noticed Jesper get out a key before going to the side door. 

“What do you need?” Jesper asked as a click sounded from the door. Klaus frowned for a moment, then realized that Jesper had likely moved stuff around as he had in the cabin. “My hammer, handsaw, and a table” Jesper glanced at him then furrowed his brows. “That’s it? You could buy new ones” the shorter man pointed out and Klaus shrugged “I like my old tools.” Jesper opened the door and stepped inside, but turned before Klaus moved to follow. “Stay” the thin man moved his hand with the command, as if motioning for a dog to follow the word. 

Klaus frowned “You aren’t letting me in?” Why not? Surely there was nothing in there that was horrible. “You only need a few things, I know where everything is, and you don’t, and I doubt you want to see animal guts.” Klaus paused for a moment, then remembered that Jesper had said he butchered the animals inside the workshop. Klaus had figured the thin man would clean that all up afterwards.

He stared at the blonde man and Jesper stared back, soon lifting a brow. No, perhaps it was better if he stayed out here. “Fine” he managed to get out and Jesper gave a nod before going into the building. KIaus even heard the lock click again, as if the other man didn’t trust him to stay where he was. Then again, Jesper was used to the villagers down in town, so that distrust had a logical foundation. 

Klaus sighed, and then simply stood there. He moved his head when he heard some birds, and even caught some flying. He smiled to himself in a sad kind of way. Lydia had loved birds...he wondered if Jesper held the same love since he was sheltering one that was hurt. The sound of a click brought his attention back to the door, which Jesper opened and then handed him a hammer and a bag before going back inside.

Klaus looked at the bag in confusion, then opened it and raised his brows in surprise. Nails. Jesper had gathered the nails up and put it in this bag to give to him. Klaus had honestly not thought to ask for some, but he knew they would come in handy for the repairs he would be doing. It felt considerate that Jesper would just hand them over without being asked, but at the same time it was an easy thing to think of doing when Klaus had wanted his hammer.

“Hm” Klaus tied the bag to his belt and tucked his hammer there too. A heavy sounding thud startled him a few moments later, and he could hear Jesper...shouting? After a few moments he heard a softer thud and then the sound of something dragging on the floor. Klaus moved from the door a little as the sound came closer.

Jesper reappeared and opened a door before dragging a table out of it after him. When that was fully outside, the other man closed the door and locked it before turning to Klaus with his eyes downcast. “Ran into a bit of a problem…” Klaus just looked at Jesper silently before the man glanced at him, made a displeased face and looked away again. “The handsaw broke” the man ground out, looking quite tense, but all Klaus could do was continue to stare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the moment with the bird kind of came from nowhere, but I felt it was somewhat sweet, so it stayed in


End file.
